View source for 4/22/13 - Dream elders, are still elders

[[Mina's Story]]

After the conference that we will not agree to go with Bashir, we need to find what it is we need to do. The idea is that we take an area, and hold out, and parlay for a better position. With much discussion they decide that the jail would be the best place, as 1 it is not under anyone's domain, and 2 should be an easier target as jails a meant to keep people out.  Hubris is very much the vampire traight, and we could not be more wrong. Not only does trying to dream your way into the jail make you appear in a cell. But the whole building is fortified against change. We had the fight of our lives, and became very apparent that surrender was our only option. There were far to many people working their dream magics, to make sure we could not make ANY changes. We are rounded up, and shackled. I know before hand that the shackles will limit our edge am, but I was left with little options, get shackled or leave Bruno. I stay and become a slave.

After some time we are taken and paraded in front of the Pentad. Paraded in front of them, and asked to do a bit of show and tell. Each of us is asked to show what we do. One is already salivating over Habib due to his physical beauty. Lucky, he gives up all rights to the rest for Habib. The rest of us have to “prove” that we a worthy of the people. Wen it is my turn, I say very simply “power.” I refuse to play the game of “I am so cool, please buy me.” I do not believe in slavery and I think this is demeaning. I end up being bought by sharahazad, along with Bruno.

For the next several “days” we are kept in slave quarters. I am not real sure what happens with Bruno, but I get a straw pallet, and a bucket. Not real dignified, but comes with being human in this dream.
After a while of unknown time, we are called to Shaharazad. First we are bathed, and covered in a poncho like thing. We are paraded before her, and she asks us to tell her a story. I start with the story of the attack on zeks haven.. She stops me quite quickly with a board look on her face, and turns to Bruno. He regales her with a story that she likes better, and we are returned to our cells. After a time she visits in person and asks for more info, and for me to continue my story. She obviously knows this may be important. She upgrades me to a real room, and real clothes. She does not however, remove the shackles. 
Shaharazad comes and talks frank with me. At first I tried to evade. She asks questions about factions, and names. “What are the settites?” “What does Camerilla mean, how does the affiliation work?” Obviously she is getting information somewhere. I try to evade and tell her truth, without telling her the whole truth. The she lets drop, she knows what vampires are, and basics about how it works. This info combined with the fact I consider her to be an enlightened being, I don't feel it's a masquerade breech to tell her the very basics. As such we have an even more frank conversion about why I am here. What I want, and what the others are after. She enlists my aid in making her the overall ruler of this place, and asks if I can help her convince the others to accept her. Not that I have much choice, but I sense a note of desperation in her so I agree. I return I am granted freedom to come go, and create my own domain here in this realm. At last the shackles are removed.
As I am wondering through the hallways enjoying my newfound freedom, it appears that others do not feel I should not remain alive. I was attacked by many minions, and though I managed to keep myself from dying, I needed help from others to finally beat them off. Shaharazad felt that Bruno and I needed body guards to keep her “assets” from dying. We are assigned a body guard, and a “teacher” to make sure we understand the rules in this realm. They also escort us out to create our own domain. Bruno decides to create a dark gothic spire, I opt for a more courtyard style, with fountains and mirrors. 
It is at this time that Bruno takes me into his domain and states he is going to regain his vampirism. I they'll him, I think this is a bad idea. Much of what that can give you, you can get just with focus. You don't have the weakness of feeding, frenzy, sun and the steak. Alas he feels this is something he must do, and sacrifices a bit of himself to change. While it works, he is hungry. I plead with him, not to feed upon our guards. I ask him to go outside our domain. He agrees, and asks me to distract them for a bit. I walk out and do so. Unfortunately, even though my distractions work, Bruno takes far longer than and they get wise that he is not coming out. Back to the castle of Shaharazad. 

Time elapses, a bit more conversation.. It areas that Bruno got himself in trouble, and is locked away. I do all I can to convince her he is not worth sacrificing for a new wing. I try and convince her that he can be an asset against her enemies. She tells me that he killed two people she swore to protect, and that he is not being very cooperative. Again I try and tell her his value in hopes that she doesn't kill him.

Later she comes to my room, a bit frantic and gives me an offer. We cast a spell that binds my willpower to her, and I will secure her place. I return she becoms my friend in this realm. Oh and also I make her immortal outside in the waking world. I do not get my willpower back unless she is the ruler of the realm, and immortal. This seems rather one sided and I tell her so. She insists that this is the way to go. I tell her I am willing to HELP. Ad I will TRY, but I cannot guarentee anything about her being a ruler. And I won't sacrifice my will for somthing I cannot guarantee will happen. She gets quite frantic, and says she is running out of time, and that her hand is forced, and needs an answer.. I still say no. I won't be bound by so,thing one sided. She puts me to sleep.